A Single Candle
by Christine Lennoire
Summary: Yolie screws up another chemisty experiment and now she can't go to the dance until she can master it. It wouldn't bother her if it weren't for the fact that Devon, the most popular boy in school asked her to go with him. But what's Ken got to do with it?
1. ScienceClass Goes Up in a Cloud of Smoke

A Single Candle  
  
"What do you see in me? In you, I see all these wonderful things, but I have nothing to give you in return. I'm not pretty or popular, and heaven knows I don't have the money or the smarts."  
  
--Yolie, A Single Candle  
  
Chapter One: Science Class Goes Up In a Cloud of Smoke  
  
Yolie walked into the classroom with a renewed spirit. There would be a dance this Friday, and the most popular boy had asked her to go with him! She swooned over him day and night, but she never imagined that he'd notice her. She wasn't exactly popular, like Kristen, or pretty like Andrea. Actually, she was sort of a geek. She was really good with computers. Not normally the type you'd imagine getting asked on a date with the most popular boy in school. Especially a jock like Devon. But he did ask her. And she said yes. That was the most amazing part of it all. She had the courage to say yes! She sat down in her usual chair next to her best friend, flashing the most amazing smile.  
  
Her friend, Miranda looked at her weird. Yolie hadn't been that happy in years. She grinned. She knew when something was going on, and something was most definitely going on. Why else would Yolie be glowing like a tree with 100,000 watts worth of Christmas lights shining? She laughed. "So?" she inquired, turning in her to look at her best friend closely. "What's up? Why are you so cheerful today? It's a Monday for crying out loud! It must be something really amazing!" she concluded. Yolie nodded. "So, are you going to tell me or what?" she asked. The excitement was killing her. She couldn't wait to find out what good news Yolie was hiding from her. Yolie smiled, coyly, putting her books underneath her chair.  
  
"Well..." she pretended to think about it for a second, a smirk on her face. "Are you sure you want to know? Because, if you don't, then I guess I don't have to tell you." Miranda looked at her with horror. She simply had to know! "Alright, alright! You got me! I'll tell you!" she smiled. Suddenly, Mr. Yamasaki came in the room, and everyone went silent. "I'll tell you later." She whispered to Miranda, who nodded. The two girls pulled out their notebooks and pencils. Today was another one of Mr. Yamasaki's experiment days. They had to take a chemistry lab test once a marking period. And this was it. It made up fifty percent of their grade! Too bad it was Yolie's worst subject in science.  
  
He put the instructions up on the blackboard. "Now, take out your things, children." Everyone moaned, taking out their things and preparing for the test. "Now, now! You knew that the test was today! So don't whine!" he smiled at them with a crazed look in his eye. He always looked like that. Some people actually thought that he enjoyed flunking kids. Yolie was one of them. She was pretty close to failing herself in this class. Maybe it was the class, or maybe it was the teacher. She didn't know, but something about this class just didn't agree with her. She had never understood why they had to take something so stupid! I mean, she would never use it in the future! She'd probably hurt someone if she tried!  
  
She took out her stuff, trying to keep a smile of her face, reminding herself of the good news. She couldn't help smiling every time she thought of Devon. So she thought of him. They way he walked, and the way he talked. His voice was like velvet, and his touch was like satin. She smiled, thinking of his dreamy smile. Miranda snapped her out of it, when she started talking about the assignment. "Yolie? Earth to Yolie!" she laughed. "Come back! We have to have this done by the end of the class!" she smiled. You can tell me about your big secret while we set up." She said, turning on the Bunsen burner. "So, what's your big secret? This'll be interesting!" she grinned, looking at the chemicals set out on the table.  
  
"Well, you know the dance on Friday?" Miranda nodded. "Oh, that's right!" Yolie laughed. "You're going with Marc!" she smiled. Miranda blushed. "Well, today, I was walking to school with Cody as usual, and then Devon comes up to me..." she said, pausing for dramatic effect. Miranda stopped. She stared at Yolie like it was unheard of. Her blue eyes went wide. "Yup. And he asked me to go to the dance!" Miranda continued to look at her like she was lying. Nothing like this ever happened before! None of the popular kids ever even looked at them before, and now, out of the blue, Devon, the most popular boy in school asked Yolie to the biggest dance in the history of the school? That just sounded so unreal!  
  
"Don't be hurt if I tell you that it seems... hard to believe." She said, measuring out the first chemical and pouring it into the mixture. Yolie pretended to look hurt, but inside she was laughing. Everyone would be looking up at her like she was the luckiest girl in the world, and she was! Not only was Devon dreamy and handsome, but he was also the sweetest boy in her school. He wasn't like most of the popular boys. He wasn't a jerk. He was really kind. But still, he usually didn't talk to anyone outside of the circle. That's what made it all the more special to her. It made her feel really special, cause she knew that he was sincere when he asked her. That meant he was actually interested in her!  
  
And every time she thought about him, her heart fluttered. She knew she liked him too. All the signs of love were there. He was kind and gentle. The fact that he was cool and popular was a plus, but that wasn't why she liked him. Devon was something special. He wasn't like the other snobs. She wrote down the directions from the board and transferred them to her paper. "Well, believe it! Because come Friday, we're going to be dancing, and laughing! We'll be having a great time! Meanwhile, you and Marc will still be sipping punch and talking about 'smart-people' things! You never have any fun!" Yolie laughed. Miranda just smiled. But something about the way she smiled read that she was hiding something.  
  
"Oh, well, we'll just see about that! Won't we?" she laughed. "Add the next ingredient, Yolie." She told her. She dropped her pencil. "Oops!" she laughed, bending over to pick it up. It had rolled underneath the table. Meanwhile, Yolie measured out the next ingredient, except, it wasn't the next ingredient! She skipped two ingredients by accident. But by the time Miranda got up, it was too late! Yolie had already added the wrong ingredient. The green liquid started to bubble uncontrollably. "Uhhh, Yolie? Is it supposed to be doing that?" Miranda frowned, nervously. Yolie's eyes went wide with fear and shock at the same time. "Yolie?" But it was too late. Yolie had reached over to turn off the burner, but it was too late.  
  
The green liquid exploded in her face, all over her hair, her glasses, her lab coat, and her notes, books, and supplies. Mr. Yamasaki jumped, shocked by the sudden explosion. The green stuff was all over his classroom. "Miss Miyako!" He shouted. His face was red with anger. "This is the fifth accident this week!" His eyes were wide with shock and anger, and a mix of other things. She shrunk back into the shadows, afraid that he would flip. She hated chemistry. Leave it up to that stupid class to ruin her whole day! Not even thinking about Devon could cheer her up when she found out about the detention she was in for. She was really in trouble this time! There was no escape, and no excuse.  
  
"Ugh!" Miranda growled. "Leave it to me to drop my pencil just when you're about to cause a chemical catastrophe!" she laughed. "Oh, well. We're both in for it this time!" she laughed. "What did you do?" she smirked. Yolie just groaned. "Oh, stop being such a twit! It's not like it's the end of the world!" Miranda said, cleaning up the spilt mess. "Wanna do something unexpected? Like help me!" she shouted. Yolie grunted, dropping down to the floor to help Miranda mop up the green goo. "That's more like it!" she smiled. "Just think. In less than 48 hours, you'll be with Devon at the dance!" she grinned.  
  
"I wouldn't say that if I were you, Miss Yasuhiko. You two will be spending that Friday with me in the lab, studying." Yolie stared at him with an open mouth. She couldn't miss the dance... No way! She finally got asked out by a cute boy, and now Chemistry was trying to ruin it for her! "I'm sorry that you'll have to miss the dance, but I'm sure you'd rather pass than go to a silly dance, anyway." He laughed, playfully. Yolie growled in her throat. He just couldn't do this to her! It was all just so unfair! It wasn't her fault she was bad at Chemistry!  
  
"Please! Mr. Yamasaki! You've got to let us go to the dance! We'll do anything!" Yolie begged. "You know this means a lot to us!" She looked at him with pleading eyes. "Can't you think of something? Anything? I'll do it!" he looked thoughtful for a second. Then, it was like a light bulb went off over his head. He smiled wickedly. "Mr. Yamasaki? I don't like that look. What exactly do you have in mind?" she asked. He motioned for her to continue cleaning, and then he started to explain his big plan.  
  
"Well, you made five mistakes with five different solutions. If you can come in tomorrow and mix all five solutions for me by yourselves, I'll let you go to the dance on Friday." He smirked. Yolie looked up at him in disbelief. That was almost impossible for her. Even Miranda would have trouble with that! And to make things worse, he wasn't finished. "Without the directions. All I will give you is the chemical symbols, and you will use the new rules of solution we are learning in class to find out what the directions are and how to mix the ingredients. Will you be taking my challenge, or will you be staying on Friday?"  
  
"No way am I staying on Friday!" Miranda shouted. "You bet I'm gonna take your challenge! And I'm gonna solve it and win!" she said. "I don't know about you, Yolie, but I am not gonna miss that cool dance. And if I know you as well as I think I do, than you will too. Expecially since Devon asked you." She said. Yolie frowned. Sure she wanted to go, but how? There was no way she could do it! She was the single worst chemist. But if it meant that she could go to the dance, she would give it a shot. She couldn't afford to miss this dance!  
  
"You bet. I'm in." she frowned. "I better do some praying tonight." She said. "Or else I'm doomed." She said to Miranda on the way out. "We better hurry. Or else we'll miss lunch!" so the two girls took off. They dumped their books at their table and ran to the line. Luckily, they were just in time. They got their food, paid for it from their accounts, and sat down. They pushed their books aside so they could sit. "So how are we going to do this? You know I can't! What can I do?" she pleaded. Miranda laughed.  
  
"The answer is way simple. I should make you pay a quarter for it!" she joked. "What do all the other students do when they need help in a subject? They get a tutor to teach them. You just need to get one who knows Chemistry well." She put her raven hair up into a ponytail. "All you have to do is get some sucker in collage to tutor you and teach you everything before Friday. That's what I'm going to do! I'm gonna ask Allan. We used to be best friends in middle school! I'm sure he'll help me. Even if I have to give him something in return!" she smiled.  
  
"Yeah? I guess I could do that. But I don't know if I could do it. Even with the smartest genius in the world tutoring me, it would be hard, nearly impossible! I can't do chemistry worth crap! And I don't even know who I could ask." Miranda laughed. She looked at her like she was crazy. "What? You have that look on your face that says, 'Oh my god, Yolie! The answer is so obvious!' So what is it? What is running through that brain of yours?" she asked. She took a bite, chewing thoroughly. "And why is it so obvious?"  
  
"You do know the smartest genius. Two words for you. A name: Ken Ichijouji." She smiled. Yolie slapped her forehead. It was obvious. How come she didn't think about it before? He was a genius! And guess what? His major- is chemistry! It was fate! Yolie jumped up, emptying her tray. She grabbed her books. "Isn't that convenient! How did you of all people come to be friends with the boy genius, Ken Inchijuji? Especially a guy with a chemistry major! You have nothing in common!" she laughed. "What's up with that?"  
  
"It's a long story!" she laughed. Even if it was short, she couldn't tell Miranda about the digimon or their adventure. So, it just had be left at that. "We just... hit it off." She smiled. "He's not always like that. Sometimes he actually gets his head out of his books, too!" she smiled. Miranda laughed. "What do you think about him anyway? You always ask me about him. Why?" Miranda giggled. Her cheeks turned pink. She tried to wave her off, but Yolie pushed her on, on their way upstairs to their Pre- algebra class.  
  
"Well... He may be smart, but he's also really hot! Everybody knows it! But he doesn't seem to notice that EVERY girl in the school dreams about him! He is just so oblivious. He's too caught up in his work! You know, I wouldn't mind being his girlfriend!" she giggled. "Don't tell me you never thought about it!" she said, looking at her. Yolie looked away, blushing. "Oh, come on! You can tell me. I won't tell him." She smirked devilishly. She crossed her fingers behind her back. "You know, I'm just a 'curious' person!" she laughed. "So?" she said, as they stopped at their lockers.  
  
"Not really. Sure, before I knew him, I thought he was just another cute guy. But now that I know him better, I guess I just never thought about him that way again." She said, throwing her book in the locker and pulling out her pre algebra book. "I guess you think I'm weird, but... I like him. He's my friend." She said, walking into Mrs. Yuma's room. "And that's all." She said, sitting down at her desk. Then, Mrs. Yuma walked in and the two girls were forced to stop their conversation there. Miranda rolled her eyes and pulled out her notes. Yolie smiled at her, and grabbed her notebook out and her pencil.  
  
"Hello kids! Now, last time we were working on..." that's how the whole class went. It was all droning. Yolie found herself daydreaming again. Once again, Devon was the subject of her dream. But this time, someone else invaded her mind. She and Devon were dancing at the dance. It was beautiful. The lights were turned low, and there were light blue lights shining down on us. They were alone on the dance floor, twirling gracefully with the soft, gentle music. Suddenly, the music stops and it gets darker. And through the dark, comes two figures.  
  
One is Mr. Yamasaki, and the other one, is Ken. Mr. Yamasaki hands her a paper that makes her blood run cold. It's the paper he asked her to do with the five former solutions. And on it, is a large, red F. She shrieks, as everything around her fades. Ken comes up to her and whispers in her ear. He speaks to her seven words which would haunt her forever. "I guess it wasn't meant to be." And then he smirks and walks away. She starts to cry, and then, everything fades away. She snaps back to reality, where Mrs. Yuma is asking her something.  
  
"Yolie?" She asks, irritated. Her brown hair was pulled up into a bun. She shakes her head, making the clump of hair wiggle. "You mind telling us what that was about?" she said. "Was it really more important than what I had to say?" she scolded. Suddenly, the bell rang, and the period ended. Everyone filed out. "No more sleeping OR daydreaming in my class, Yolie!" she said firmly. "Sleeping is for at home!" she said. "Math class is not for sleeping!" Yolie nodded, grabbing her books and following Miranda outside to their lockers again.  
  
"So? What was it about?" Miranda asked. "Was it bad? You don't look so well." She said. Yolie threw her pre algebra book back into her locker. She knew she shouldn't have listened to Miranda! Now Ken was invading her thoughts. "Come on! You can tell me!" Yolie grabbed her health book out. She put her binder in, removing her notes and sticking them in her book. She didn't want to have to carry it around. It was last period, anyway. She threw the books she needed to take home, into her backpack. She had it all ready for the end of the day. Then, they walked towards the Health room.  
  
"I'll tell you. Wait for me after school. I'll meet you at the water fountain outside." Yolie said. Miranda nodded, as they went to their seats. They always sat next to each other, in nearly every class! That's how close they were. She knew she had to tell her. She needed to tell somebody, or she would explode. That's why she was glad to have such a great friend. She could tell Miranda anything and everything. They had been friends ever since they met in first grade. Since then, they had been inseparable. She smiled. She knew that Miranda would always be there for her. She only wished that she could tell her about the Digital world and the others.  
  
The class passed quickly, and they were let out for the day. Yolie practically ran back upstairs to her locker. She threw her health book back into her locker and pulled her backpack out. She threw on her coat and headed back downstairs towards the fountain. When she got there, Miranda was already waiting for her. Yolie smiled and ran up to her friend. "So? Are you going to tell me now, or do I have to pry it out of you?" Miranda laughed, tickling Yolie. Yolie burst into a fit of laughter and nodded.  
  
"Yeah. I'm going to tell you. But let's go to my house. My mom is a really good cook. You could stay for supper again." Yolie grinned. Miranda patted her stomach and smiled. "That's what I thought. I could almost hear your stomach rumbling. They just don't give us enough food in school. Or at least not the kind you can digest." Yolie and Miranda both laughed. "Let's go!" She shouted. Yolie took off running. "I'll race you!" She said. But she was already way ahead of Miranda.  
  
When they reached Yolie's house, they immediately went upstairs to Yolie's room. Miranda sat down on Yolie's bed. She threw her backpack down at her feet. "So? What happened in Mrs. Yuma's class?" She asked.  
  
"Well, I had this dream. It was really weird, because Devon and I were dancing. It was wonderful. But then, Mr. Yamasaki came in with my paper! It had an F on it and Ken said that "I guess it wasn't meant to be." And then I woke up. It was so scary!" Yolie said, shivering. "What do you think it means?" Miranda shrugged.  
  
"I heard that when you are interpreting your dreams, to never take them literally. There's always a hidden meaning. But I'm no expert. I don't know. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens. Tomorrow you should talk to Ken. That is, unless you want to call him tonight." Miranda grinned, making Yolie laugh. She picked up her phone and held it tauntingly in front of Miranda's face.  
  
"I should. And I should tell him that his biggest fan is at my house, drooling over him." She laughed, making Miranda blush.  
  
"I am not his biggest fan! Everyone is looking at him!" She said, playing on her innocence.  
  
"Yeah right. Don't use the word everybody, because not 'everybody' stares at him like you do." Yolie said. "But you're right. I should call him. And I will, as long as you promise not to interfere. The sooner I can get my learning started, the better!" She laughed. "I'm going to need it... and prayers, too! Don't forget to pray for me. I'm going to tell Ken to, too." Yolie laughed.  
  
She punched in Ken's phone number and held the phone to her ear, anxiously waiting for someone to pick it up. On the last ring, Ken finally picked it up. "Hello?" It was Ken's voice. And it made her shiver, when she remembered what he said... 'I guess it wasn't meant to be.' She sighed and smiled. She knew there had to be some explanation to this. Ken would never try to get in the way of her happiness. He was her friend, right?  
  
TBC  
  
I hope you like it. This is going to be good, I hope. I have everything planned out. But who knows... ideas for me change very easily. Whatever happens to this story, I'm going to make it be the best one yet... but I'm counting on you, my wonderful reviewers! Don't let me down, now! I need to hear it from you!  
  
Christine Lennoire 


	2. When the Pupil is Ready to Learn, the Te...

A Single Candle  
  
"What do you see in me? In you, I see all these wonderful things, but I have nothing to give you in return. I'm not pretty or popular, and heaven  
knows I don't have the money or the smarts."  
  
--Yolie, A Single Candle  
  
Chapter Two: When the Pupil Is Ready to Learn, the Teacher Appears  
  
She punched in Ken's phone number and held the phone to her ear, anxiously waiting for someone to pick it up. On the last ring, Ken finally picked it up. "Hello?" It was Ken's voice. And it made her shiver, when she remembered what he said... 'I guess it wasn't meant to be.' She sighed and smiled. She knew there had to be some explanation to this. Ken would never try to get in the way of her happiness. He was her friend, right?  
  
"Hey, Ken!" She smiled, pushing her bad feeling aside. He was her friend. She knew it. And he would never hurt her, no way, no how! "It's me... Yolie!" She laughed, casting a smile at her friend Miranda. Miranda gave her a thumbs up and giggled. "I have a slight problem... And I thought... no, I was sure that you could fix it!" She said, trying her best to sound sad, yet determined. She wanted to win Ken over. She didn't want pity... unless it was pity that would get her a tutor. Then, she would crawl on the floor, cry, and beg for pity, as long as Ken would tutor her. Ken laughed.  
  
"Sure. What did you do now, Yolie? Last time I had to rewire a computer, buy a new hard drive, and clean up your room. And believe me, that was no small task." He said, grinning widely. "Now. Seriously, what did you do this time? It can't be worse than the fire you accidentally set in the park while you were trying to cook for our picnic. No one will ever forget that. We had to tear out all the burnt grass and replant new seeds, because you decided that running around in circles was a logical answer to your problem." This made them both laugh.  
  
"Ok, it's not THAT serious, but it's very important. It is to me, anyway!" She said. "It all started with science class. To make the story short, I caused my project to blow up and now I can't go to the dance unless I can master that project and some others. Thing is, I was asked to go with Devon! He's the hottest boy in our school! I know this sounds stupid, but I can't miss this! It may be my only chance with him, Ken! And then I'll just be a nobody again! I can't let that happen! So, I was wondering if you would be so kind as to..." She trailed off.  
  
"Be your tutor?" Ken asked. "Damn, Yolie! If I were to do that, I'd probably be dead by the time you got it right!" He said, trying to hide a strange feeling. When she mentioned Devon, it felt like his whole body had gone numb. Yolie really liked him. And that's what was bothering Ken. Or so it seemed. He sighed. "But what kind of friend would I be if I didn't help you try to get this right." He said. "Sure. I'll help you. But you WILL owe me for this one. And I want to have all my arms and legs once this is over or else you will pay for the surgery!" He laughed half-heartedly.  
  
"Ohhhh! Thanks, Ken. You're the best! I can't wait! With you on my side, there's no failing! I'll be with Devon at the dance and everybody will be happy!" She grinned. Miranda smirked. Yolie looked so happy. Ken wished he could have seen it. Because he wasn't feeling so happy. He had been feeling great when he heard her voice and realized that she had called him. But now that he heard the story, he wasn't feeling so good. It was all for another boy. He knew he shouldn't have been jealous. Yolie was his friend. It's not like they were... anything else.  
  
"Yeah. You're welcome. Just don't make me regret this." He groaned. "We'll start as soon as possible. You need all the time you can get." He said. "When do you have to have this figured out by?" He asked. Yolie looked at Miranda and bit her lip. She hadn't told Ken the worst part yet... Well, the worst part as far as Ken was concerned. She laughed nervously and smiled. "What? What's so funny?" He asked.  
  
"Tomorrow." She said softly. She heard Ken shout something on the other line. She couldn't tell what he said, but it wasn't good. "I know that it's soon, but I'm ready! I can do this! But I need you to help me do this!" She begged and pleaded. "Please?"  
  
"Fine. But I can't promise you anything. I'll be right over." He said. And with that, he hung up the phone. Yolie sighed and turned off her phone. She turned to Miranda and smiled. Miranda laughed.  
  
"Are you two always like that?" She asked innocently, picking up her bag. "Whatever!" She laughed. "I've got to go. I'll let you two start studying. I've got some work of my own to do. Good luck, Yolie. I hope Devon appreciates everything you're doing to be with him." She said. Yolie waved as her friend left. She sighed heavily, leaning her head back. She was exhausted, but this was just the beginning. She had a long way to go if she wanted to go to the dance. She got out her notebook and waited patiently for Ken to arrive.  
  
He got there ten minutes later. It was a good thing they lived close to each other. He calmly walked to her room, running a hand through his black hair. He sighed and cautiously knocked on the door. Seconds later, the door burst open and Yolie jumped out at him, surprising him. In his shook he fell backwards onto the floor. Yolie laughed, helping him up. "Don't go getting all scared now! Come in!" She said, gesturing him to go in first. He nodded and stepped inside her room. He looked around and smiled. Her room fit her personality perfectly.  
  
He saw her science notebook and picked it up. He started leafing through it when Yolie came in and wrapped her arms around his waist. Once again, she surprised him. He threw the book up into the air by accident and blushed. She giggled, letting go of him to go retrieve it when it landed on the floor. "I was going to say thank you, but the look on your face says I should have said 'surprise!' She handed the book back to him. "So... where should we start?" She asked innocently, sitting down on the bed and looking up at him with huge, inquiring eyes.  
  
He sighed and sat down next to her. He turned to face her and shook his head. He had mellowed out and his cheeks had returned to their normal color. "You're hopeless. Do you know that, Yolie?" He asked. "I guess we'll start at the only logical place... the beginning." He said. She nodded, listening intently. She had to do this. It was important. For a while, he read out of the book. Then, he asked her questions until she knew them all by heart. After hours of this, she started to see a shining ray of hope... or was that because she was starting to drift asleep?  
  
She couldn't hold her eyes open anymore and her body instinctively fell forward into Ken's arms. For the third time that day, he was surprised. But this time, he didn't jump or fall down. He set down the book and looked at her. He smiled down at her. She looked so peaceful. And he couldn't help but wonder if Devon knew how truly wonderful she was. Did he even know her name? Probably not. He hated to think that she was being used. Or that she would sink so low as to look only to the outside. But whatever it was, it didn't feel right to help her get him.  
  
He slowly eased her out of his arms and on to her bed. He lifted the covers and placed her under them, tucking her in. He took her pen and a piece of paper and scribbled a short message onto it. He put the pen back and laid the note on the pillow next to her. Then, he slowly creeped out of the house, back to his own. The whole time, he kept thinking about her. He wished he could stop it, but something made him uneasy.  
  
The next morning, when Yolie woke up, she turned to find herself in bed. She sat up and smiled. Ken was such a gentleman. Then, she noticed the note he had written her. She picked it up and smiled. On it, he scribbled 'You are ready.' She smiled, holding it to her chest. "Prey for me, Ken." She said, getting up out of bed. She quickly got dressed and put the note in her pocket. She put her stuff in her bookbag and put on her shoes before rushing to Miranda's house. They were going to walk to school together, today. They needed it.  
  
TBC  
  
Sorry it was such a short chapter. I think the next one will be short too, but then they will get longer again, I promise. I tried to keep everything nice and smooth. Tell me what you think! Review, please! Thanks.  
  
Christine Lennoire 


	3. The Real Test

A Single Candle  
  
"What do you see in me? In you, I see all these wonderful things, but I have nothing to give you in return. I'm not pretty or popular, and heaven  
knows I don't have the money or the smarts."  
  
--Yolie, A Single Candle  
  
Chapter Three: The Real Test  
  
"Yolie! There you are! I was starting to worry that you had decided to stay in bed and play sick!" Her friend, Miranda laughed. She was waiting out on the front porch of her blue and white house, waiting. Yolie ran up to her to make up for some time. Miranda smiled and slung her backpack over her shoulder and flashed Yolie a dazzling smile. "So how did it go? I think I'm ready! I was up studying all night!" She said. "I'm a little tired, but that's beside the point! If I get this right, I can go? What about you, Yolie?"  
  
"Ken says I'm ready. Good thing I got plenty of sleep, so I don't fall asleep. Mr. Yamasaki told us to go straight to his room. First period is his free period anyway. Let's go!" Yolie said. They ran the rest of the way to the school. When they got inside, they were already dismissing the kids to their classes. "We better hurry!" She shouted. They hurried to their lockers and put all their stuff in it. "Ok. Ready?" Yolie asked. Miranda nodded. They walked towards Mr. Yamasaki's class room. But he was waiting outside.  
  
"Ah, I was afraid you weren't coming." He said slyly. He led them inside, where everything was already set up for them. There were all kinds of things set up for them. "Now, you know why you're here. You are right over here, Miranda. Yolie, this is your place. Now, you see the directions for each project is on the board. You have to do them all correctly and allow me to reevaluate your grade. If you can do that, then I will let you go. But... I'm not holding my breath, Yolie." He said, laughing. Yolie glared angrily at him.  
  
"I'll show you!" She mumbled, as she started the first one. She kept mentally reminding herself of Ken's lesson. And every time she felt unsure, she reached down and touched the note in her pocket. That gave her the confidence and the courage she needed to keep going. For most of the period, they were working. With ten minutes left in the period, Miranda finished the last project. Yolie stared at her in disbelief. She was just starting the last one! Mr. Yamasaki went over to Miranda and started evaluating.  
  
"Well, well. Good work, Miranda. I see you took my challenge seriously. I must say, I am surprised neither of you have caused an explosion, yet. Are you soon finished, Yolie?" Yolie nodded, stepping back to admire her work. Mr. Yamasaki came over. From the look on his face, he was surprised. He was too surprised to say anything. He made a few marks in his book and smiled. "I guess this must mean a lot to you, because you did perfectly. But I have to ask... how did you do it, Yolie? You have no talent for chemistry."  
  
"I know." She said, picking up her books. "Good thing my friend Ken does!" She laughed. Mr. Yamasaki looked at her like she was crazy. "Is it that hard to believe that I'm friends with Ken?" She asked Miranda on their way out. Miranda just laughed, shrugging her shoulders. "Hey! What does that look mean?" Yolie asked, glaring at Miranda.  
  
"I think what surprises him most is... how different you two are." She said. They stopped at their lockers and got the books they needed for their next class. "I thought about that, too. I don't mean to sound mean, but... he is a genius. He's not exactly your type." She said, shrugging. Yolie sighed. Miranda did have a point. She wasn't very smart. She didn't know what Ken saw in her. But she was glad she had such a great friend. He was always there for her. It was great to be able to count on someone like Ken.  
  
"I just can't wait to tell Ken the great news! I can go with Devon! This will be great!" She said. Miranda nodded. "This is going to be great!" She said. She was almost skipping. Miranda had never seen her friend so happy. But she couldn't help but wonder about Devon. Devon had gone out with Tammy! Tammy was the most popular girl in the school! He was a jock! It wasn't that she wasn't happy for Yolie, but... it was a little strange to see a guy like Devon going to a dance with a girl like her friend, Yolie.  
  
"Yolie. I'm worried about you. I don't want you to get hurt. Stay on your toes." Miranda said, before they entered the classroom. Yolie cocked her head to the side. She didn't understand what Miranda was talking about. She nodded. "Good. Don't let ANYONE hurt you. You're my friend." She said. "I don't trust people like Devon." Yolie smiled.  
  
"Devon? He's nice. I told you. He's changed. He likes simple things. He really likes me." Yolie said, defensively.  
  
"If you believe that, then... ok. But... just be careful." Miranda said, taking her seat next to Yolie. Yolie nodded and sat down when the teacher, Ms. Shinyu stepped in the door and closed the door behind her. They exchanged glances and Yolie sighed. It was going to be a long day. She couldn't wait until she could go home and tell Ken everything. She took out her notes. History notes... 'oh boy', she thought to herself. 'Oh well... let's get this over with.' She started taking notes on everything the teacher was saying.  
  
As soon as school was let out, she hurried to her locker. She threw everything and took off. She told Miranda not to wait for her. "Call me!" She shouted to Miranda on her way out. She was going home to call Ken. But she was surprised to see Ken waiting for her at the door of her house. "Ken!" She shouted, running towards him. "I did it!" She shouted excitedly. He smiled brightly. She loved his smile. She gave him a quick hug. "Thanks a lot, Ken! You really are a lifesaver." She laughed. "Do you want to stay?"  
  
"No. I just wanted to hear how it went. I'm glad for you, Yolie. I hope you enjoy your little date." He said, chuckling. Yolie blushed and swatted at him playfully. "Well, I better be going. My mom will get worried. If you need anything, you know where to find me." He said, waving. He started walking back to his house, slowly. He sighed once he was out of hearing range. Something felt very wrong about him helping her and Devon get together. But something felt so right when they were together. He laughed.  
  
He clasped his hand to his heart and frowned. "Why? What is this?" He asked himself. "I never felt like this before. But then again, I never really had friends before, only fans. Maybe it's just because she's a... friend." He said, very unsure. "Or maybe not. Why Yolie? Why couldn't it be Kari? Or Mimi? Or Sora? With them, it's never complicated. Kari has Tk, Sora has Matt, and Mimi has... someone. But with Yolie, it's different. Damn." He said. He walked the rest of the way back to his house. He went inside and up to his room where he collapsed on his bed.  
  
Meanwhile, Yolie went into her house with a bright smile on her face. "I'm going to the dance with Devon!" She sang, bounding up the stairs to her room. Suddenly, she stopped. "Oh no! I have to find something to wear!" She gasped, rushing to her closet and started throwing things around. Then, the phone rang. "Hello?" She said, picking up the phone. She had forgotten that she told Miranda to call her. "Oh, hi Miranda." She said.  
  
"Hi Yolie! Hey, my mom's taking me to the mall to pick out an outfit for the dance. Do you want to come with us?" She asked. Yolie smiled. Miranda knew just what to say to fix her problems.  
  
"You bet!" She smiled. "I'll be over in five minutes!" She said. "Bye!" She hung up the phone. She crawled under her bed and pulled out a small tin container that she kept her money in. She pulled out some money and pocketed it. She ran downstairs. "Mom, I'm going with Miranda and her mom. We're going to the mall! Bye!" Yolie shouted. She didn't even wait for her mom to answer before she ran out the door.  
  
"Uh... bye?" Yolie's mom said, watching her daughter run out the door.  
  
Ok, I hope you like. Another short chapter... sorry. I am working on it. I promised that I would keep updating all of my stories. And in case you're wondering, I am going to continue Love Just Is. I have more to add to that one and lots of plans. And thanks for the rainbow chip cupcake, Lets-Play- With-Matches. You are so cool!  
  
Christine Lennoire 


	4. Revelations for Ken

A Single Candle  
  
"What do you see in me? In you, I see all these wonderful things, but I have nothing to give you in return. I'm not pretty or popular, and heaven  
knows I don't have the money or the smarts."  
  
--Yolie, A Single Candle  
  
Chapter Four: Revelations for Ken  
  
"Hey Yolie!" Miranda shouted. Miranda and her mom were sitting on the front porch of their house waiting for Yolie. Miranda's mom, Stephanie waved, showing off the keys of her brand new car. Yolie smiled. "You got your money?" Yolie nodded. "Good. Let's go, then!" She said. Yolie and Miranda sat in the back and Miranda's mom sat in the driver's seat.  
  
Miranda automatically reached up for the radio, putting on one of her favorite songs: Real Emotion. Yolie rolled her eyes. Her friend was obsessed. But she couldn't complain. Of all the songs to obsess over, Real Emotion was a good one. She listened to the song. She hoped they played it at the dance. Miranda gave her a look that said she was thinking the same thing.  
  
"Far beyond the hazy borders of my heart- I can see a place that's something like this. Every now and then I don't know what to do. Still I know that I can never go back. All the things I've seen in those hazy dreams- can't compare to what I'm seeing now. Everything's so different that it brings me to my knees!" The two girls sang along with the radio.  
  
Suddenly, the car stopped. They were at the mall already. They had been so wrapped up that they hadn't been paying attention. "Let's go!" Miranda's mom said, taking the keys out and putting them in her purse. "I needed to get a new pair of shoes, anyway." She laughed sweetly. Yolie nodded. She got out first and Miranda crawled over to get out on Yolie's side.  
  
"Ok. I'll let you girls go to the clothing department by yourselves, but you have to stay there. Do not leave the area. I will be in the shoe department in case you need me. But don't leave unless it's an emergency. Got it?" The two girls nodded and smiled. "Good. Well... have fun! You have your money, Mir?" Mir was her mother's nickname for Miranda.  
  
"Yeah. Thanks mom! See ya later!" She said, leading Yolie inside. They went straight to the clothing department and weeded their way towards the dresses for special occasions. "Wow. There are so many to pick from!" Miranda laughed. "I can't decide!" She said. She was caught between a dark red one with spaghetti straps and a black and white one with thicker straps and a frilly hem.  
  
"Yeah. Me too." She said. There was at three she liked very much. There was a purple one with spaghetti straps and a purple flower in the center of the chest. Another one was pink, white and red with swirls and hearts. And yet another was black with dark red flowers on it. She sighed. "Decisions, decisions. What about you? I think you should get the red one."  
  
"Maybe you girls would like to think about it over some food? I just got my shoes and I just realized how hungry I am." Miranda's mother said. "My treat!" The girls smiled and nodded. They went over to the food court. Yolie, being her clumsy self, tripped over one of the table legs and fell forward. At the last minute, one of the boys standing nearby grabbed her by the arms and hoisted her up into his arms.  
  
"Hehe... how clumsy of me." She said. She looked up and blushed. "I..." His eyes were so beautiful. She couldn't stop staring. Their faces were only centimeters apart and though it seemed like they had been in that position for forever, in reality it had only been a few seconds. She laughed nervously.  
  
"Yolie? You're acting.... strange. Snap out of it." She knew that voice. She blushed even brighter, if possible. She looked again. That pretty face belonged to no other than Ken! She stepped back, steadying herself. She smiled. "Are you ok?" He asked. There was a hint of laughter in his voice. She slapped herself mentally. She must have looked like a fool.  
  
"Oh! Hi Ken! Good to see you." She said, trying to act normal, but failing miserably. Miranda's mother smiled at Yolie, winking. Yolie blushed furiously. "Would you... like to join us? We were about to get something to eat." She asked. Ken nodded.  
  
"Thanks." He said. Miranda's mom ordered two large pizzas while the kids went and got a table. The picked a large table in the corner. The place was packed but most of the people were crowded in the center. "So... who's your friend?" Ken asked, smiling at Miranda. Miranda smiled sweetly.  
  
"Oh. Sorry. This is my best friend, Miranda! We both screwed up that science project. But... she passed it too!" Yolie said. Ken laughed. "Miranda, this is Ken." Miranda nodded, shaking his hand.  
  
"It's nice to meet you. Yolie has told me so much about you! You know, I never thought I could get Yolie to watch sports before. But I was wrong." She said, smiling. Yolie punched her playfully in the side. "Hey! It's true." Ken grinned.  
  
"Good to know." He said. Suddenly, Miranda's mom came back with the pizzas. She set them down at the table and smiled.  
  
"I'm going to talk with an old friend! When you guys are finished, you can go back to the clothing area. I'll meet you here at six. That should be plenty of time for you. Enjoy!" She said, before going to see a friend who was over at another table with Chinese food.  
  
They ate their food in an awkward silence. When they finished, they cleaned up. Yolie had been thinking. She had been embarrassed, but she decided to ask. "Ken? Can I ask you to do me an itsy, bitsy little favor?"  
  
The next thing Ken knew, he was being dragged to the clothing section by two giggling girls. He didn't know why, but he had agreed to help them pick out their dresses. Miranda went first. She tried them both on and showed him. "The red one. Simple looks good on you." He said, smiling. She nodded.  
  
"Thanks, Ken!" She said, hugging him. He smiled.  
  
"Any time." He said. "Yolie? What about you?" He said. Yolie smiled and went in to try the first one on. After trying on all three, she came back out in her original outfit with the three dresses in her hand.  
  
"So? Which one do you think? I have to really impress Devon! And the dress is a big part of it!" She said. Ken shrugged. She looked good in all of them. But Ken thought she looked amazing in the pink, white, and red one with the swirls and hearts. It brought out the curves in her body, Ken noted. He shook his head, trying to remove the thoughts from his head and blushing.  
  
"That one." He said, pointing to it. She smiled and nodded. She put the others back. Miranda nodded in agreement. It looked very nice on her. "It's getting pretty late." He said, looking at his watch. "I should get going. My mom will start worrying." He smiled. "It's been fun. Thanks." He waved. Miranda smiled and waved back.  
  
"Bye Ken!" Miranda shouted. But Yolie, who had been putting the other dresses back, wasn't finished. He had left the clothing area but Yolie ran after him.  
  
"Wait, Ken!" She shouted. He stopped faster than her and she went crashing into him. "S-sorry." She stuttered, backing up. "But I wanted to thank you. You did a lot for me lately. You are a great friend!" She said, hugging him. He looked at her, shocked.  
  
He hesitated, but slowly allowed himself to hug her back. His body was betraying him again. He smiled. "It's... nothing." He said, shrugging. He was trying to act casual, but it wasn't working well. 'What's wrong with me? Its Yolie... isn't it? I...' "I... Gotta go." He said, pulling away quickly and dashing out the door. She stared after him.  
  
"How... strange. But boy can he run." She said, smiling. "I better get back to Miranda before she starts worrying." Miranda was waiting for her. "Are your ready to go? Let's go pay for this and we'll go get your mom. Maybe you can stay the night since tomorrow's the dance!" Miranda nodded.  
  
"That would be great! But we have to stop at my house to get my stuff." They went to the cash register and paid for the dresses. Then, they went back to the Food court where Miranda's mom was waiting for them.  
  
"Oh, you're back early. Are you ready to go?" The girls nodded. "Ok. Let's go." She said. They went back out to the car and started on their way back. Real Emotion came back on. "And though I know the world of real emotion has surrounded me, I won't give in to it. Now I know that forward is the only way my heart can go. I hear your voice calling out to me. "You'll never be alone." What can I do for you?"  
  
"Hey, can I stay at Yolie's? Tomorrow is the dance, after all." Miranda asked her mother. Her mother nodded.  
  
"All right. But don't be up too late. I'll drop you off at our house, Yolie. You two can walk." They both nodded, as the car pulled into the driveway. The two girls scrambled out with their bags and ran inside to get Miranda's stuff.  
  
Miranda packed all her stuff including her dress into her bag and slung it over her shoulder. "Let's go! This will be so great! Especially the dance!" She smiled dreamily, thinking of her date: Marc. Yolie nodded in agreement. It was going to be the best dance of her life! It just had to be!  
  
They walked over to Yolie's house. Yolie's mom didn't mind it when Miranda stayed over. It was common. The girls were always spending time together. "Let's finish our homework! Then, we can show off our new dresses to my mom!" Yolie said. They both laughed and nodded, hurrying up to Yolie's room.  
  
TBC  
  
Ok, that was a little bit longer. The next chapter is the day of the dance. The sixth chapter is the dance! I hope you like it! This is going to be a lot of fun. This story is turning out better than I thought. Thanks to all my reviewers. You guys rock my socks!   
  
Christine Lennoire 


	5. Revelations for Yolie

A Single Candle  
  
"What do you see in me? In you, I see all these wonderful things, but I have nothing to give you in return. I'm not pretty or popular, and heaven  
knows I don't have the money or the smarts."  
  
--Yolie, A Single Candle  
  
Chapter Five: Revelations for Yolie  
  
Yolie finished pinning back her hair and looked in the mirror. She was all dressed and ready to go. This was going to be the greatest night of her life. She had put on the dress she bought and curled her hair. She pulled her bangs back with clips so they were out of her face. She smiled. She looked great. She picked up her white purse and ran downstairs. Miranda's mom was taking them to the dance. She ran outside to find Miranda and her mom was waiting for her. Miranda was dressed up, too. She looked great in her new dress. "Hey, Yolie!" Miranda smiled.  
  
"Hi, Miranda! You look great! Are you ready?" Miranda nodded and led her out to the car. "This is going to be the best! Are you and Marc finally going to get together? I mean... you've liked him forever! You've just got to tell him! I know for a fact that he likes you! He told me when we sat together on the field trip last year." She said, winking at her friend. Miranda blushed.  
  
"I hope so. And I hope you and Devon get together. Or... more like, I hope you find someone who really likes you." She said. She still had on that face that said 'I don't trust Devon.' Yolie smiled dreamily at the thought of her and Devon being together forever. They would go on great dates, get married someday, and have kids when they were older. It seemed like the perfect dream. She never could have imagined something like that happening to her. But she was in love with him. Or at least she thought it was love. It wasn't like she had all that much experience with love.  
  
"Yeah. Let's go!" Miranda's mom started the car and started driving to the school. Miranda turned on the radio. Yolie half expected to hear A Thousand Words. But she didn't. "Wow... you got a new cd!" Yolie laughed. "What's it this time?" She heard a guitar playing a fast, difficult tune and a loud bass playing in the background. She smiled. "Cool."  
  
"You've got me feeling like a girl in love!" The vocals were really good. "It's Friday night, there's something magic hanging in the air. I feel the butterflies inside the ones that show I care. I'm gonna be your baby. You're all I'm waiting for. It's a razz pizzazz. I don't think that I could take that. My heart ticks to the time it's a tick a tack a tickity tack. You've got me smilin' like I never smiled before. You've got me fallin' like I never fell before! You've got me feelin' so I knew I can't get enough. You've got me feeling like a girl in love!"  
  
"Perfect, eh?" Miranda laughed. It was uncanny that the song was everything that Yolie was thinking right now. But she couldn't help feeling worried. She just had to wonder why he picked her. She wasn't pretty or smart. And she surely wasn't rich. So why did Devon want to be with her all of a sudden. She had been so wrapped up in happiness earlier, that she didn't realize how... fake, it sounded.  
  
"Yeah... perfect." She said, staring out the window, aimlessly. 'I wonder how Ken's doing.' She thought to herself, and smiled. Whenever she thought of Ken, she got all warm and tingly inside. He was smart and cute... and really kind! And she knew him for a while now. She would have thought that those feelings would have gone away, but they didn't. They just got stronger, each time they got closer.  
  
"Here we are, girls: the dance! Have fun! I'll pick you up when it's over!" Miranda's mom said. The two girls got out and were surprised. A lot of boys were looking at them. Marc was waiting for Miranda at the door. He blushed when he saw her. It was obvious he was staring. The two girls exchanged glances. Yolie nudged Miranda and gave her that look that said... 'Go for it!' Miranda nodded and followed Marc inside. Yolie smiled at the couple and then went off to find Devon...  
  
Meanwhile, Devon was talking to a tall blonde girl. Yolie wasn't anywhere nearby, so they continued to talk. This girl was Tammy, his 'old' girlfriend. Everyone knew they broke up. But what only they knew was that they were still going out. (...what a shock!) Tammy and Yolie had used to be friends. But Tammy had decided to become all popular and dump her old friend. But now, Tammy decided to have a little fun with her. The whole plan was that Devon was going to put the moves on her and then dump her and humiliate her.  
  
Oh what fun... And Yolie was clueless. Well... almost clueless. She sat at one of the tables, looking terribly bored. "He's not coming..." She was on the verge of tears. "Maybe I should just go home." She said. 'Ken doesn't live far from here... maybe I should go see him. Again with Ken? Why did it have to be him? A great guy, but he's still so far out of my league. Wait... since when did I admit liking him? Oh, I'm so confused. But... I do like him. But do I like him like that? I mean...' Suddenly, a warm voice cut into her thoughts.  
  
"Yolie?" It was Devon! She couldn't believe it! He actually came! "I am so sorry I'm late! Car troubles, I'm afraid. I'm glad you didn't leave." He said, taking her hand. She felt her heart melt. He had this way of making everything seem ok and the world seem so wonderful, and he made himself seem like such a wonderful person... even if he wasn't. Yolie was fooled by his acting...  
  
"Let's dance." He said. A slow song just started up. She nodded and let him lead her out onto the dance floor. In his mind, he was thinking of ways to humiliate her. In her mind, she was thinking 'Do I... do I love Ken?' They were both so far away from it, they didn't notice it when a girl came crashing into them. Yolie's bad luck had it, that she was right by the food table.  
  
She was covered in cake, and drenched in soda. Everyone started laughing. She looked around, feeling the tears start to well up in her eyes. She looked at Devon and realized that he was laughing the hardest of all. And then... she looked at the girl. It was Tammy! Suddenly, Tammy went up to Devon and placed a large kiss on his lips. "Wonderful plan, eh?" She laughed horribly.  
  
Yolie fled from the scene. Now, she was crying. Devon had played her. He had planned the whole thing! And she had trusted him. She just kept on running. She couldn't see straight. But when she reached Ken's house, she stopped. The door was closed and the lights were off. He wasn't home... She collapsed on the ground in front of the house and begun crying even harder.  
  
Suddenly, a car pulled up in front of the house. "Yolie?" It was Ken! "What... happened?" He asked. He rushed over to her and helped her up. "You're a mess! Did... he do something to you?" He asked, with a hint of rage in his voice. Yolie wiped some of the junk off and smiled. Ken had his arm wrapped around her and they were really close. She didn't have to think anymore.  
  
"Can we talk... inside?" She asked, wiping away her tears. Ken nodded and opened the door for her. She went to take a shower and clean herself off while Ken cooked up something for them to eat. She came out clean again. Ken's mother had lent her some clothes for the time being, while her dress was being washed out. Ken looked at her and smiled. She was beautiful to him.  
  
"What happened?" He asked, sitting down on the couch with her. "Was it... Devon?" He asked. His voice shook with anger when he said Devon's name. She nodded weakly. Then, she smiled and shrugged. "Why... do you look so..." She had gone from despair to utter happiness in five seconds and he didn't understand why. She smiled and threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. Their position was a little awkward, so she shifted. Ken couldn't believe that she was this close to him. His mind and hormones were raging. "Yolie... There's something I have to tell you..."  
  
"Good." She smiled. "I hope... I mean... I have something to tell you too!" she smiled. She rested her head on his shoulder and inched a little closer. Now they were so close they were almost touching. He slowly put his arm around her. She smiled and snuggled closer. "Ken... when I went to the dance, I started wondering whether I really cared about Devon at all. I realized that I didn't. But... there is someone I do care about. I care about him a great deal. I think..."  
  
"I think you should tell him." Ken said. Ken was so afraid that it was someone else. He didn't know if he wanted to hear who. His heart was broken to say the least. Yolie smiled and slapped him playfully.  
  
"I think you should listen!" She scolded. "Ken... I love him with all my heart, but I am so afraid that when he finds out, he will tell me he doesn't feel that way. But I'm tired of being afraid. I'm going to tell him... right now." She said. She turned him so he was facing her. She stared at him for a second and then... smiled. "Ken... it's you. It's always been you. I think... I think I love you!" She blurted out. She was shaking in his arms and her eyes started to water. "But... you're so far out of my league and I..."  
  
He pulled her into his lap and cradled her in his arms. "Hush." He said, holding her head to his chest. He had heard everything he wanted to hear. But he did not want to hear her cry. He looked down at her and smiled, using his hand to wipe away all her tears. "Yolie... There's never been anyone else for me. You're the only one I've ever felt anything for... You are... everything I've ever wanted. You're sweet, kind, beautiful... I've never been more sure of myself. I love you, too, Yolie." He said.  
  
She looked up at him with tear stained eyes and smiled. "Really? What do you see in me? In you, I see all these wonderful things, but I have nothing to give you in return. I'm not pretty or popular, and heaven knows I don't have the money or the smarts."  
  
"Oh, but you are." He said, kissing her like he had wanted to... for such a long time.  
  
TBC  
  
Cliffhanger! It doesn't end here! Nothing is ever that simple! Will it work out? Will the candle burn on or will it be blown out... and if it is to be blown out, by whom? Let's find out! And don't forget to review!  
  
Christine Lennoire, with lots of love! 


	6. What It Means to Be In Love

A Single Candle

Chapter Six: What It Means to Be in Love

"Dreams are great, but that's not what I want! I want something real, that I can hold on to! I… I want you!"

-- Yolie, A Single Candle

Yolie didn't want to wake up. She didn't want to think that maybe it was a dream. She didn't want to think that maybe the warmth next to her was only one of her pillows, instead of the man she had been so sure she had confessed her love to last night. She wanted it to be real, with all of her heart. Devon didn't matter anymore, and Miranda couldn't help her now. This was her story and she would have to deal with it either way. So when she opened her eyes and saw only white, she thought she would die. Had it only been a dream… a dream that she might never see come true? She rose from her pillow and thought she would cry. She was back at her own house… in her own bed… alone. Ken wasn't there. He had never been there. The tears started running down her face before she even knew what hit her. She curled up into a ball, and wished that she had died.

"Yolie?" She heard Miranda's voice above her own cries and looked up. "You look like hell! He was right, that asshole really put you through a lot! I can't believe he did that!" Miranda was still wearing her gown from the dance. Had… had it happened? Or was it about to happen again? Who was she talking about anyway? Miranda sat down beside Yolie. She stroked her hair. "You shouldn't be that bummed. Devon always was a jerk… and he always will be. But that Ken… now he's the guy you should be going after!" Miranda laughed. "You know… he brought you home after you crashed at his house. He was worried that your mom would worry. Besides, he was a little nervous about you staying over the night anyway. Is it me or did something happen between the two of you?"

"K-ken? He… he brought me home?" Yolie gasped. She knew what that meant. Ken… her… everything… it had happened! It was real! He loved her and she loved him! "Oh, Miranda! It was the most wonderful… where is he? Did he leave?" She asked, suddenly. She wanted to talk to him. She needed reassurance. She needed to know that it was true. Miranda nodded.

"Yeah, he left last night, shortly after he brought you home. I was already here when he got here. He filled me in on the whole story… well… almost the whole story. He seemed a little distracted, though. Are you two really a couple, now?" She asked, winking at her friend. However, Yolie completely ignored her. She was still dressed in the clothes his mother had lent her. She should have known! She took off out the room, shouting back after her friend.

"I'll be back!" Miranda laughed.

"Sure you will." She said, sure that she wouldn't. Miranda sighed, leaning back on the bed when her cell phone rang. She picked it up quickly. "Hello? Oh! Hello, Marc!" She giggled. "I'll be right over. Yeah. My work is finished over here. I'll see you in a little bit. Yeah… I love you, too." She hung up and sighed, with a love-struck look on her face. "I guess we both got lucky!" She laughed, getting up off the bed and heading back downstairs to say goodbye to Yolie's mom before she left to see Marc…

Meanwhile, Yolie ran the whole way to Ken's house, never stopping. If she ran like that all the time, she could have been the star of the school's track team! However, this wasn't just any time. This was 'the' time. She had never wanted anything more than she wanted this. So she found herself on his front porch pretty fast. This was before she had even thought about what she would do… or say! She didn't get time to figure that out, either, before the door opened unexpectedly, revealing a tired looking Ken. However, he managed to put on a smile for her, anyway. "Yolie?! What a big surprise. Actually, I was just coming to see you. I hope you're feeling better. You didn't look so well last night. No wonder, though, after everything you went through." He said. "I'm terribly sorry…" he said, sadly.

"About what? What's going on? It wasn't that bad, really! I just… wanted to talk to you… about last night." Yolie said nervously. "About what I said last night…" Ken put a finger to her lips to quiet her and nodded lightly.

"It's alright. I understand. He completely took advantage of you. Are you sure you're all right? Maybe you should go see the doctor…" Ken had this weird look of pity on his face. It wasn't like him at all. I mean, it was just Devon. She didn't mind the humiliation anymore, but she didn't like that fact that Ken was acting this way. He was making such a big deal out of it, and that wasn't like him. He was usually the one looking for the positive side to everything.

"No, I'm fine. Really." She did remember vaguely, though, waking up with terrible head pains. "What exactly happened last night? Is there something I'm missing?" Ken's eyes widened considerably and he nearly choked.

"You mean… you don't remember? He… he must have drugged you! Yolie… last night… I found you on my doorstep… after the dance. Devon had taken you to a hotel and… Devon had… had raped you! You mean… you don't remember?" Yolie's eyes widened. Why didn't she remember anything like that? Was this some horrible nightmare she would wake up from? Maybe too much happiness had led her into some hellish dream. Yet somehow, just by looking at Ken, she knew that it was real. She didn't remember drinking or being raped… but… could it have happened? But more importantly, did this mean that she would lose Ken?

Too many thoughts swam inside her head, causing another shooting pain to course through her head. She yelped, falling to the ground. "Yolie!" Ken gasped, dropping down beside her. She looked at him with tears in her eyes.

"Is this what I have to go through? Is this what I have to endure? Love… I don't care. I will endure it, and I will do it with a smile on my face!" she said, forcing out the words. "That… that is what it means to be in love with someone. I would do anything for you… I… I love you, Ken. I don't know if I really said it to you, but I do! I don't remember, but I do! I love you!" She said, before passing out quietly in his arms. Ken sobbed quietly.

"I know. You told me… but… this is my fault. This is all my fault. I can't let this happen. That… 'that' is what it means to be in love with someone. I would do anything for you… whatever is best for you… even if it means letting you go. I will disappear from your sight. I don't want to hurt you anymore…" He pulled out his cell phone and dialed '911'.

"Hello? I am here to report an injury! Yes… uh-huh. She's here at 543 Kiya Lane. Yes. My name… is Devon." He said, hanging up the phone and walking off down the street, even with tears in his eyes.

TBC

Confused yet? Don't worry! It'll all become clear, soon! Happy ending or no? Cliffhanger! We'll just have to see! Sorry it took so long! I won't wait so long anymore! Computer troubles… darn it! Don't worry! It's up and running now! So I can update all I want! Happy? I hope so! Enjoy!

Love Christine Lennoire


	7. Alone, Whether You're Here or You're Not

A Single Candle

Chapter Seven: Alone, Whether You're Here or Not

"Dreams are great, but that's not what I want! I want something real, something I can hold on to! I… I want you!"

-- Yolie, A Single Candle

Yolie wanted to wake up, but she couldn't. Her mind was racing. Ken… what had really happened? She searched her mind for her last memory… and what she found, was the last thing that happened before she danced with Devon… 'He had smiled at her and handed her a drink. "Wouldn't want you to dehydrate, now would we?" He said. She had laughed with him and drank it down.' Now she wished she had refused. What had happened after she drank that? What was making Ken run? Why didn't she remember? Had he really drugged her? She had so many questions that weren't being answered. Questions that she needed to know the answer to for her own sanity's sake… and for her love's sake, too. She needed to find Ken.

She forced herself to sit up in bed even though her body refused. She was in a hospital bed, but her clothes were still on, so she decided she would make a run for it. It couldn't have been too long since Ken left. She had to find him and demand an explanation. She wanted to demand an apology first, though. How could he say he love her and then just leave like that? It wasn't right! Especially not in a time when she needed him so badly. She just wanted someone… Ken, to hold her. She needed to feel that closeness.

She got out pretty easily by pretending she was just a regular visitor. She stayed calm until after she was outside. Then she ran. She ran as fast as her legs could take her. That was when she saw it… Devon's car. However, it was empty, and she wondered if he had gone in to see her… or kidnap her. She didn't know what Devon did to her, but whatever it was, she was furious about it. She refused to be taken for a fool, and he had. She would never forgive him. In her heart, she felt she had enough rage inside her to… to kill him. But he wasn't there. Instead, she saw Ken, leaning up against the car. He looked like he had been crying. She stopped abruptly. "K-Ken? Where were you?! I was worried sick!" She said softly, panting heavily.

He looked up quickly. Ken's ace showed all the elements of surprise and worry. "Why did you leave? You're sick! Devon… he raped you. You could be pregnant! You can't go running off like that!" Yolie sighed. She could have guessed that that was what Devon had planned. But she didn't care anymore. She smiled at Ken.

"Is that why you were going to leave me? Because I had a baby and you wanted me to get together with Devon for the baby's sake? Because, that won't happen! You don't even know if there is a baby!" Yolie shouted defensively, inching closer to Ken until she could wrap her arms around him.

"No. That's not it at all. Yolie, I want to be with you, but I can't. You wouldn't touch me if you knew what I had done." Ken said sadly. "I know that won't happen. I know, because I wouldn't let him come near you again. I love you, Yolie. That's why I had to protect you. I have everything ready. You won't need to worry or fear because of me. I'll go. Then it's my problem. Forget about me! Go away!" He shouted. Tears trickled down his face. The harder he tried not to cry, the more he did. She looked up at him, trying to decipher everything. It was so much for her, and yet she couldn't rest until she knew. "Yolie…"

"Ken…" Yolie placed her hand on his cheek and smiled. "If there is a baby, I want it to have a father. I want you to be that father, because you are the man I love. I am not afraid of you. Nothing could ever make me feel any different about you! Don't you see, Ken?! I don't care. Because… because…" her eyes darted down to something very unusual. His shirt had an unusual stain on it, red, like… "No…" She whispered, looking back up at him. Ken was shaking miserably. She wanted to say it. She felt it… but she couldn't move her mouth. Her world had just been knocked off its hinges. "You… you didn't… you killed him…" She said. It wasn't a question. One look and she knew. Ken pushed her away gently.

"I have to go. Goodbye Yolie." He said. "I… I'm really sorry." He opened the car door and jumped in. Yolie quickly came back to her senses and tried to stop him, but the car had already sped off, leaving her to cry all by herself on the ground. She wanted to say that this didn't change anything, but it did. But not the way he thought.

"Ken…" she whimpered. She could hear the nurses and doctors coming for her. She knew that they had come to take her back to that cold room on that cold bed where she would still be alone and nothing would be any better. She began to cry. "Why?!" She shouted in anguish, as she was carried away. The ladies tried to calm her down, whispering comforting things in her ear, but this only enraged her more. She was tired of being treated like a child and they didn't have a clue what was wrong! You can't care unless you know! Suddenly, she missed Miranda. Miranda had always been there for her. Maybe… just maybe, she would give her a call once she got back inside her room…

She had a lot of thinking to do…

TBC

Sorry this chapter was so short. I had to fill in some gaps for those who were confused. However, there's still the question… happily ever after or not? Who knows? Guess you'll just have to keep reading! Love reviews! Please send them as long as you don't flame me… flaming and constructive criticism are different, though! Keep that in mind!

Christine Lennoire


	8. A Light That Never Goes Out

A Single Candle

Chapter Eight: 'A Light That Never Goes Out'

Yolie woke up in a daze. Everything had happened so fast. Now she was starting to remember... all her memories were coming back in a flash. In her mind, she went back in time - back to the moment she walked in the door. Devon had smiled and waved her over immediately. "Hey, sweetheart. You look fabulous." he said, eyeing her in a way that made her heart skip a few beats. "Wanna dance?" Of course she did! Just being here with him was like a dream come true. She never thought she would pull it off... and she wouldn't have, if it hadn't been for Ken's help... so where was he now? She wondered briefly, before being pulled into Devon's arms as a beautiful song began to play and they began the dance that would change her life forever...

Just one more night  
One more score  
Another question in my mind,   
can't take no more

The Candlelight Fantasia had begun, as she fell into her dream-like state. Devon was holding her close - too close. Practically raping her on the spot. And the closer he tried to get to her, the more she thought of Ken and the more she tried to run away from him. The more she struggled, the more he fought to keep her close to him. "You're mine." he said, kissing her fiercely and hugging her as tightly as he could to his chest without breaking her fragile self.

Kissing the tears form my face as  
they fall  
To the ground in silence   
in twilight and faded time  
Spirits cold, with no love  
Bells ring a lonely chime  
Candle fires  
These lit dreams can't burn alone

Ken wasn't there to save her... he couldn't be. She chose to be blind and not run to him when she had the chance. Now she was being dragged away by Devon to his hotel room. He had this planned all along. The candle of love she had lit with Ken was slowly being blown out of existance. 'Ken...' She wimpered pathetically as he threw her down on the bed and had his every way - his every fantasy with her. But inside, her mind was formulating a plan - to stay strong and run to Ken as soon as the hungry beast let down his guard. He wouldn't stop her once he got what he wanted.

Winds of change bring songs  
upon my memory  
An empty heart and soul   
intoxicates me  
This darkened page orchestrates  
my final destiny  
Not knowing what,  
what tomorrow will bring

Yolie escaped into the night - dress ripped and torn and her body weak and bloody. But she didn't have to fight to get away. Devon fell into a peaceful sleep as she fell into her own little personal hell, trying desperately to find Ken's house. And even once she got there, her strength faded and she couldn't even knock on the door. Luckily he had been out and pulled up in his car to see her fainted on his doorstep. Carefully and lovingly, he took her inside and wrapped her up after giving her some clean clothes to rest in. But before she fell asleep, she told him the things she had always hesitated to say.

And he confirmed that his feelings were just the same, if not stronger for her. So it seemed that the nightmare would fade. But then she went to the doctors and they told her than she was going to have Devon's baby and she cried. Ken did all he could to help her, but she fell into a coma of dispair: calling herself terrible things... feeling unworthy and alone...

From within the mirrors eyes  
I'm forced to run away and hide  
I feel those mystic eyes subside  
And leave my blind  
Through passages in time  
A prisoner locked beind the door  
Lonely roses slowly wither and die

So when it was time for the baby to come, Ken took a course on delivering the baby himself. He had. And then, he sent it off to an orphanage, and to make Yolie whole again, he gave her a medicine that would cloud her thoughts and cause her to forget, so that she could be well again. Even if it meant losing her, he wasn't going to let her go on suffering. That was all the blood she had seen. Most of the other memories were implanted by that... that medicine! Had she ever gone home? No... she hadn't. Ken had taken care of her the whole time she was with child.

He wanted to help her. It was her unconditional love for him that fought off the medicine and allowed her to remember fragments of her true past. Because... even now, as she remembered, she didn't want to let go. Actually, she was happy. The child would find a happy home. Devon would never bother her again... as long as she could find Ken before it was too late!

I can't escape this captive misery  
Heart stone cold, under supremacy  
Thrown into a raging sea of tyranny

Yolie escaped the hospital again and ran to Ken's house. His car was still there, so maybe he was still packing. She forced open the door and found that, even at night, all the lights were out - save for one candle sitting at the front of the room. It's flame was slowly dying from being lit so long, but yet, it lived on, perhaps realizing that it was the only thing keeping the darkness from totally ruling the room... Yolie smiled. It was much like her love for Ken.

When he came down the stairs, he wasn't prepared to see her standing there. Yolie hadn't changed: she was still wearing the hospital clothing. But she felt beautiful, even now. For once, she thought she could do this right... she could be with Ken, and she could be happy. The candle had proven it to her: kind of like the hanaka story, but even better. Yolie's eyes brightened and she ran into his arms: forcing him into a big hug. "Oh, you idiot! You had me so scared this whole time! I didn't know if I would make it on time!" she shouted, but her anger didn't wipe away the grand smile she had on.

Lifes vile walls have tangled me in threads  
Eternally caught in my futures threads  
Play the violent strings of my symphony

"But you... you weren't supposed to find me! You weren't supposed to remember! How did you...?" Ken asked, standing back to look into her eyes. They shone with bright purpose and love. "You know what happened, and yet you still love me? You know I erased your memories, and yet you still forgive me? Why? How? Yolie... I... I don't understand!"

She smiled. "It's like a candle... burning brightly. I didn't remember anything, except how much I loved you. Being as stubborn as I was, that just wasn't enough. I searched for the answers... so I could be with you again. I never could have been happy again if it hadn't been for you, but now I can. I'm happier than ever, as long as you stay! You even saved that child from a life of dispair, so it could find a life of love and happiness somewhere out there. What you did was right, Ken... you did what you believed was best... what's best for me, even. So... stay. It would make me the happiest girl alive." She said, hugging him and continuing to hold him close.

Transcend the absence of this fantasy  
Just another vision  
Washed away with the tide  
No place for forgotten ones  
I cannot deny  
What lies beyond, beyond this fantasy

_Happiness. Pure happiness. That is what lies beyond this fantasy..._

Ken kissed Yolie passionately. "I promise, I'll always be here." he said, "As long as you want me, that is." he said, blushing. Yolie laughed and kissed him again.

"I promise too. As long as our candle never goes out..." she smiled.

"I once heard that... our hearts may be weaka and sometimes they give in, but inside, deep down, there is this light that never goes out... you think that's it?" he asked. "Is that our candle?" Yolie nodded her head and cuddled with him contently, on the warm couch of his house. "Do... do you want to go home and... and see your mom and your friends?"

"Our friends." She corrected. "And yes... I do. But not now. Maybe tomorrow. We have a lot of missed time to catch up on." she giggled, kissing him again. Ken's lips twitched upward even as he kissed her. And oh boy did he have a lot of time to make up...

HAHA! I bet you thought I would never continue this and that I died! But i didn't! Oh, and I'm up and kicking. I may continue this. It took me forever to figure out where I wanted to go with it, sorry about the long wait. I hope you liked what I decided to do, so REVIEW and tell me exactly what you think. Remember, flames are for toasted marshmellows which are awesome on smores... so if you want to make me smores, it's much more fun to do around a campfire than in a flaming review

Love ya'll

Christine Lennoire


	9. Burning Brightly

A Single Candle

Chapter Nine:

Burning Bright

Yolie sighed contently, staring into Ken's face as he slept peacefully. What had happened... was all behind her now. No matter what happened, she wanted to stay by his side. I mean – she loved him. Loved him like she could not live without him. And she couldn't. Silently, she stepped out of bed and into the kitchen with a bit of quiet humming. She sang to herself, dancing about the kitchen in her sleeping shirt that was more like a dress, being three sizes to big, and her underwear. Yolie pulled out a pan and began to cook breakfast.

Little did she know, Ken was watching her with a dazed, yet highly amused grin on his face. As she started making pancakes, he watched her and took the time to sort out his feelings. The last year had been so hectic that it passed way too fast, and even now, it seemed like a dream. Sometimes he wished he would wake up with Yolie pounding on the door, asking him to tutor her in Chemistry again. If he could go back to that day... after seeing this... things would have been so much better.

Then he looked at her, and realized that as things were, they couldn't get any better. "KEN!" Yolie grinned. "How long were you going to just stand there?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips and sticking out her tongue playfully. Ken wrapped his arms around her, leaving her immobile. "He-ey."  
Yolie giggled and pretended to fight with him. Ken laughed and kissed her firmly on the lips. "Well, good mornin' to you too." she laughed.

Ken grinned. "Good morning. What's this?" he asked, looking at the pancakes that were burning slightly. Yolie panicked and began running about in a frenzy, trying to save breakfast. Ken stifled a small laugh, watching her. Ken changed his mind. He wouldn't change a thing. What would dwelling on the past do anyway? It would only hurt the chance he had now, to make their future wonderful and as close to perfect as it would ever get. "That's okay. I think you managed to spare the bigger ones. Let's eat. I'm kinda hungry." he said, wincing as his stomach growled.

Yolie laughed and nodded, turning off the burner and serving them both, before sitting down with him at his kitchen table. "Ken... you're not mad at me, right?" she asked, barely eating. It was more like she was poking and prodding the pancakes than eating. Ken could barely restrain his laughter. She really seemed worried and paranoid. How could she think he was mad at her? Besides – even if he was, it wouldn't last long. Just looking at her made him smile and he was immediately happy.

That was something he hadn't been able to say for a long, long, LONG time. "Of course not, Yolie. Maybe it was I who was wrong. But you know, it doesn't seem very important anymore. In the end, I think I still won. And it's the outcome that counts, right? I love you, Yolie. That's all that matters in reality." he said, placing his hand on top of hers and squeezing lightly. She smiled brightly.

"Yeah! That's right..." Yolie shouted, looking rather relieved. "You know... it feels like only yesterday that I asked you for help with my Chemistry. And I've missed so much school... If I want to get back into my class, I'll have to study really hard to get them to let me back in. But I want to try. I want things to go back to the way they were before... except, I wanna keep you, okay?" she grinned, blushing slightly. Ken laughed.

"Sure, Yolie. I would love to be your boyfriend. Wasn't that what you were asking?" he said, smiling. Yolie nodded, really happy that he understood. She never was good at those kind of things. "But you know, we've been through so much... and now you're a senior. In a year you will be graduating... I wonder... maybe when you graduate... would you ever... consider... marrying me?"

Her eyes went really wide. "Hold on to that thought." She smiled. "There is nothing more I could want or ask for. So... don't go changing your mind on me. I know I can be crazy and incompetent, but... I'm gonna try really hard to be the best I can." she said. "I know I could never live up to you but..." Ken placed a finger on her lips and kissed her from across the table.

"What are you babbling about? You already have. The day you came back... after all that I've done... I have baggage too. There's so many bad things I've done. I'm nowhere near as good as people make me out to be. You've seen it. But you chose to stay anyway. There's nothing more I could ask. Unconditional love... I will always love you... for who you are... and what you mean to me... because you mean everything to me."

She smiled, tiny traces of tears remaining hidden behind her thick lashes. "You have such a way with words. How romantic..." Yolie said, kissing him again and finally taking a real bite of her breakfast. "I feel the same way. Our candle is still burning bright... I want to feel this way forever... I think I will." she said, finishing her breakfast rather quickly, eating in between thoughts.

Ken didn't take long to finish either, as hungry as he was. He took care of the dishes and let Yolie wait for him in the living room.

I'm praying

I'm _wishing_

**You're here**

_I'm saved_

**Tonight** may be the **last** of all the **firsts** _we've ever had_

But I'm not going to forget

**Feverish** love will give way to the **un**_conditional _kind

_I will be by your side forever_

**And you are my reason**

_Tonight_

Forever

He snuck up on her and laid down beside her on the couch. She grinned and wrapped her arms around Ken tightly. "No more doing things on your own okay? We're a team now, and you don't have to be alone anymore. That's why I'm here. Don't be afraid to let me in, okay?" Ken smiled and nodded.

"And no more falling for guys like that, okay?" Ken said, kissing her cheek. Yolie laughed and nodded. "It's not good for you, and I don't think I could handle going through something like that again." he said. "I think it was hard enough on us this time." She giggled. "What? What was that all about?" he asked, looking at her.

Yolie smiled. "You said 'us'. It's too amazing to imagine, but it's real. We're... together." she smiled, flipping herself around to face him. "And the rest of our lives are ours to live out... together." Yolie grinned. "I can't imagine spending it with anyone else. It was painful, yeah... but I think it was really worth it in the end."

Ken smiled fondly at her. "Yes, Yolie. It was worth it all. And you know, I think I lied earlier... I would do it again, if only things could stay this way." She smiled and snuggled up against him. "Yolie... don't ever change." he said, holding her close.

"Oh, I won't." She said, looking up at him with a wicked grin.

I'm **praying**

I'm wishing

_You're here_

I'm saved

Tonight **may** be the last of all the firsts we've ever had

But I'm not going to _give in_

_Foolish love_ will give way to the **unconditional **kind

I **will** be by your side forever

**And you are my reason**

And **you** are the _only_ reason

Tonight

_**Forever**_

They fell asleep in each others arms in the middle of the day, without a care in the world. On the windowsill, a single candle remained. It was lit. Since when, no one knows. But it would continue to burn bright long throughout the night...

TA DAH! It's all finished. So I'm going to leave it here, with a fluffy ending and a happy one, too! I hope you all enjoyed it, so please tell me! Review and I hope you enjoyed the final chapter of A Single Candle. Once I finish some of my other stories that I left hanging, I think I might come back and do a sequel to this. I have some ideas, but tell me what you think about the idea of a sequel and if you have any ideas for it, you can share.

3 Chris Lennoire


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